Can I Salvage An Uneven Stitch?

[chronicle]

Hello,

I have been making a journal/binder. As I was in a rush I ended up machine sewing the pieces together, however it has resulted in a lovely stitch on the interior (top side) of the piece and a stitch that somehow wanders close to the edge and appears uneven on the bottom for a section (the machine has some tension issues). I was using an industrial sewing machine but I'm not sure I had it properly set up for the leather I was using.

I have put a lot of time and money into this, and I am wondering if anyone has any advice on how to possibly salvage it?

I have a light brown wash I am going to be using on it to give it a bit of an aged look if that makes any difference.

If anyone has any advice I would very much appreciate it.

Best wishes,

Sarah

Interior

Unhappy exterior

[TwinOaks]

There are a couple of options- First, dye a border around the outside which will help hide the stitching boo boo. That's the easiest (though care must still be used), fastest, and least expensive.

Next up is to bind the edge which will completely cover/hide the stitching. You'd take a strip of leather and sew onto the edge all the way around. You can see the method for doing this in Kevin Kings wallet tutorial here, http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=9940 , starting towards the bottom with the notation "...30 inch long piece of lambskin". My suggestion is to use really thin leather for this as it gets bulky quickly, and thinner leather will wrap around the edge more neatly. Obviously, you'll need to measure the perimeter of your journal/binder for the correct length, and then add a few inches (easier to cut off the excess than stretch the remainder).

**You can also just wrap the edge, which will have the same effect as binding it, but you'd have a less 'finished' look to it.

Last solution is to lace the edge, which would take quite a bit of lace and time. You'd also need to check to see if there's enough 'room' on the inside of the folder so you don't have the lacing shortening any openings like pockets, etc.

If you have the leather available, or can get it, I think binding the edge would look best.

[electrathon]

I think the only functional solution is to bind the edge like was being talked about by TwinOaks. I think that even if you lace it you will find it difficult to hide the sewing holes (I know it can be done, I said difficult).

[soleripper]

Just pull out all the thread and sew by hand in the same holes.

[Tugadude]

What a shame as the interior looks so good. +3 on binding the edge. I don't think camoflaging is the way to go. Cover it.

[chronicle]

I honestly was so happy with the interior and then turned it over and realized I had rushed ahead with the wrong tools.

Thank you for all of your advice! I've only been leather working for a couple months and have a lot to learn.

I've decided to cut my losses and take the time to handstitch then trim the previous mistake away. The issue with this piece is that it needed to match a photograph exactly. I'm going to be working on pieces with more freedom soon and look forward to trying new techniques and learning all I can from this site.